Oil cleaner and temperature regulator



Oct. 22, 1940.

J. G, MacCORMACK OIL CLEANERAND TEMPERATURE REGULATOR ATTORNEY.

Oct. 22, v1940. J, G, MaccoRMACK I2,218,715

'01;l CLEANER Aub TEMPERATURE REGULATOR Filednec. 1'7. 1937 sheets-sheet2 Anh-....... ee queienga /7 lll l rNvEN'roR. (702% BY l ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 22, 1940 PATENT OFFICE OIL CLEANER AND TEMPERATUREREGULATOR John G. MacCormack, New York, N. Y., assigner toTransportation Appliances, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application December 17, 1937, Serial No. 180,283

This invention relates generally to means for cleansing and controllingcirculating lubricating oil used in internal combustion engines.

It is generally recognized that the temperature of lubricating oilcirculated from the sump or crank case of a gasoline or fuel oilinternal combustion engine becomes at times so high as to break down thephysical structure of the oil. At other times, as at periods of enginestarting or under low atmospheric temperature, the chilled oil does notflow properly until after a considerable period of initial engineoperation. From engineering tests it has been ascertained that powerloss and cylinder wear is greatest when 1B engine temperatures are below140 degrees F.,

while, on the .other hand, when engine temperatures are above'l70degrees F., lubricating oil temperature is correspondingly raised to thepoint tending to cause reductionof the viscosity oi the 2o oil to anextent likely to impair its lubricating eiciency, with consequent riskof undue cylinder wear from this cause.

Having these circumstances in view, it is an object of this invention toprovide a novel, simple 2l and efficient apparatus operative to controlengine lubricating oil temperature so as to maintain the same withindesired limits calculated to prolong its eillcient use life.

I have also found that to maintain engine 80 lubricating oil within safetemperature limits, it

is highly desirable to remove contaminating substances therefrom, suchas sludge, carbon, road dust, etc., it being known that transfer of heatto or from contaminated oil, heavy with insolubles, is exceedinglydiicult. This invention, therefore, has for a further object to provide,in my novel oil temperature regulating apparatus, means for cleansingthe oil by removing therefrom accumulating impurities.

I have also observed that sludge formed in engine lubricating oilcontains-fa considerable percentage, rarely less thanl 12 per cent, ofoxidized binders which form hard asphaltic or lparafnic deposits infilters, and which tend to impede both free iiow of oil in the oilcirculating system of an engine, as well as to impede dissipation ofheat from the oil thus permitting the rise of abnormal engine operatingtemperatures. This invention, therefore, has for another object toprovide an oil iiltering or cleansing medium which is im-A theconsequence that the emcient operative life (Cl. 21o-1225) of saidmedium is prolonged, while at the same time giving back to thelubricating oil constituents lost through excess engine heat, so thatthe oil is maintained in free flowing condition for longer periods ofuseful life, and tendency to 5- formation of gum deposits in the engineand oil circulatory system is greatly reduced.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularlyenumerated, will become apparent from the following detailed descriptionof l0 the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 isA a front elevation of thenovel oil cleaner and temperature regulator device accordl5 ing to thisinvention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is alongitudinal vertical section through the same, taken on line 3-3 inFig. 1; Fig. 4 is a top end view ofthe same; and Fig. 5 is a horizontalsectional view, taken on line Q0 5-5 in Fig. 3. I Similar characters `ofreference are employed in the above described views, to indicatecorresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference char- 25 acter I0 indicates theexternal casing of the device. This' casing preferably consists of atubular metallic shell having open, bottom and top ends. Suitablyaffixed to and surrounding the major portion of said casing,intermediate its'30 ends, is an enveloping jacket shell II formingbetween the same and the casing an annular chamber I2 through which iscirculated a heating fluid. Connected to an inlet I3, adjacent to thelower end of said jacket shell H, is a heating 3'5 uid supply conduitI4, and connected to an outlet I5, adjacent to the upper end of saidjacket shell II, is a heating iiuid return conduit I6. A heating iiuid,such as exhaust gas from the engine served by the device or hot waterfromthe engine o cooling system, is caused tof'ow orf-circulate throughthe jacket chamber 'I2 in contact with the casing shell I0. The flow ofthe heating iluid may be controlled by means of any suitable type ofthermostatically actuated control valve means 45 (not shown), so thatthe heat applied'to the casing shell maybe maintained at a selecteddesired temperature degree. For example, the thermostatically actuatedcontrol valve may be set to close at degrees F. and to open on a 5otemperature drop below that point, thus maintaining a degree of heat asapplied to the oil cleanser and temperature regulator device at'approximately 160 degrees F. If, under such conditions, the enginelubricating oil flowing through 55 the internal structure of the device,enters the latter say at 130 degrees F., its temperature will be raised,by transfer of heat thereto from the heating fluid circulating throughthe jacket chamber I2, to approximately 145 to 150 degrees F., which isa satisfactory oil heat. It will be understood that the applied heatingfluid temperature will be set and controlled variably as givenconditions may require, the above example being mentioned only by way ofillustration.

The open bottom endof said casing shell I is closed by a removablebottom head I1, the same having a skirting rim I8 to fit externally overand around the bottom end of said casing shell I0. A joint sealinggasket I9 is interposed between the casing shell margin and the innerside of said bottom lhead.

In like manner, the open top end of said casing shell I0 is closed by aremovable top head 29, the same having a skirting rim 2| to fitexternally over and around the top end of said casing shell I0. A jointsealing gasket 22 is interposed between the casing shell margin and theinner side of said top head.

Said bottom and top`heads are respectively `provided with means forsecuring the same tightly engaged in assembled relation to the casingshell. Each said means includes a bridging clamp bar 23, havinga centralinternally screw threaded hub 24 through which is threaded a clamp screw25. Said clamp bar is provided with hook-like extremities 26 to engage'through perforate ears 21, which are aflxed to and project upwardlyrespectively from diametrically opposite sides of the casing shell I0.The head is provided with a centrally disposed upwardly open socket boss25 to receive engagement of the free end of said clamp screw 25, which,when turned home, forces the hook-like vextremities 26 of the clamp bar23 against the upper ends of the slotted ears 2l, thus giving purchaseto the clamp screw 25 whereby it thrusts downwardly upon the head tofirmly and tightly seat and sealthel same to the end of the casingshell.

The bottom head Il is cored to provide an oil inlet passage 28, to whichmay be suitably coupled a conduit (not shown) leading from the sump orcrankcase of the engine, the line of said conduit including a suitableoil circulating vpump (not shown) Mounted in connection with said bottomhead I1, to open outwardly from said oil inlet passage 28, is a pressurereducing valve fitting 29, the port 30 of which is normally closed by aspring controlled valve member 3l.`

The outlet end of said valve fitting 29 is connected by a conduit (notshown) leading back to the sump or crankcase of the engine. sired, saidbottom head'may be also provided with a drain port 32 which leadsoutwardly from the bottom interior of the casing shell l0, said drainport being normally closed by a removable closure plug 33.

The top head 20 is cored to provide an oil outlet passage 34, to whichmay be suitably coupled a conduit (not shown) to deliver oil back to thesump or crankcase of the machine, or to any suitable lubricating oildistributing system with head 20 is provided on its inner side with aninternal boss or neck38 formed to provide an internally threaded socket39, with the interior of which'theinner end of said oil outlet passage34 communicates.

Arranged within the interior of said casing shell l0 is a means forcleansing and treating the lubricating oil which is caused to flowthrough the interior of the device. The cleansing and treating meansbroadly considered comprises a cylindrical hollow container 40,preferably made of thin sheet metal. The diameter of said container issomewhat less than the internal diameter of the casing shell I0, so thatwhen the same is fixed in place within the interior of the latter, acomparatively narrow annular intermediate space 4I is formed contiguousto the casing shell wall, so that a relatively thin body of oil fillingthe same makescontact with the casing shell wall so that heat may betransferred to or from said oil body as, under varying circumstances,may be required. The containpr 4I)l is provided with a top end wall 42having a centrally disposed discharge opening 43 bounded by an axiallyextending externally threaded throat 44; the latter screws into thethreaded socket 39 of the neck 38 of said top head 20,'

whereby the interior of said container is coupled in communication withthe oil outlet passage 34 of said top head 20. The container 40 isfurther provided with a bottom end wall 45. The outlying portion of theinterior of the container 40 is provided with capillary body or wicking46, of substantial thickness, which extends upwardly from the bottom endwall 45 contiguous to the inner wall surface of said container.lProvided in the bottom end wall 45 of the container are a plurality ofintake openings 41 which register with the bottom end of said capillarybody or wicking 45 so as to give oil access thereto. Packed into theinterior of said container 40 and in contact with the inner side of. thecapillary body or wicking 46 is a mass of filtering material 48. Thisfiltering material may consist of a suitable substance through which theoil may percolate, but preferably consists of a brous material such ascotton waste, cellulose or the like. Embedded within the mass offiltering material 41, preferably in horizontally and vertically spacedapart relation so as to occupy respectively different positions withinthe mass of said filtering material, are interstitial bodies 49 adaptedto provide by-pass oil flow paths in the filtering material mass.Illustrative of one means for producing said by-pass forming bodies, thesame are formed by rolling Woven wire mesh into cylindrical form, thusproviding a more or less open or comparatively unrestricted passagespace for oil ow at the points within the filtering material mass wherethese Ywire mesh cylindrical formations are embedded. The mass ofltering material is impregnated with a solvent combination of petroleumelements which will act with solvent effect upon gum residues, tars andother petroleum binders carried by the lubricating oil deliveredthereinto, thus maintaining for a longer time the normal physicalstructure and free flowing condition of the lubricant.

It will be understood that although the abovedescribed oil cleansing andtreating means may be made in a single unitary form, it is preferable,however, to furnish the same in a sectional unitary form as shown inFig. 3, in which case a plurality of sections or units, each comprisingthe combination of elements above described, is employed, as, forexample, the units A and B shown in Fig. 3. These units are connectedtogether, but in such manner as to function indivldually, i. e.,independently of each other. To effect this arrangement the upper unit Ais providedat its bottom end with an internally threaded neck to receivethe externally threaded throat 44 of the lower unit B. The upper unit Ais additionally provided with an axially disposed by-pass conduit 5|Aopening through its bottom end wall 45 so as to communicate with thedischarge opening 43 of the lower unit B; the upper end of said by-passconduit 5| communicates directly with the outlet passage 34 of the tophead 20.

If desired the cleansing and treating means structure may beadditionally supported and braced in its operative assembled relation byinterposing between the bottom end of the same and the bottom head Il aresilient supporting or bracing bridge spring 52.

'I'he process of oil heat regulation with cleansing and revivifyingeffect, as carried on by and Within the device above described,comprises the circulatory movement of oil from the engine crankcasethrough the device and back to the crankcase. When the engine is startedthe heat generated by the consumed fuel is transferred to the enginecooling jacket Water which is also circulated through the chamber I2 ofthe jacket shell Il so as to apply heat to the walls of the casing I0,or, if desired, exhaust gases of the consumed engine fuel may beutilized for like purpose.

It is desirable to maintain a ow of oil at a constant pressure throughthe device regardless of engine speed, so that suic'ient time is allowedforfboth heat exchange and cleansing effects. Assuming, therefore', thatthe oil is delivered, by a suitable lpumping means, from the enginecrankcase, at comparatively high pressures., more or less variableproportionally to engine speedv but, e. g., averaging about eightypounds to the square inch, the oil enters and iills the interior of thedevice, but, by reason of the operation of the pressure controlling andregulating means with which the device is provided, is maintained, e.g., at a pressure within the device of approximately fifty pounds to thesquare inch. The oil at the comparatively high pressure reaches andenters thfe device through the inlet passage 28, but since this passageis provided with a pressure relief valve means 2940-3! which is set torelieve pressures in excess, e. g., of fty pounds to the square inch,said relief valve means will by-pass oil' in excess of the latterpressure back to the engine crankcase, and consequently the oil pressurewithin the device is kept constant at the deslned pressure of ilftypounds. This result is further assured by the provision of theadditional f pressure relief valve means SHG- 31 of the oil outletpassage I4 of the device, which operates, ,n li' internal pressure ofoil within the device tends to build up beyond the desired fty pounds,to relieve such excess pressure by direct discharge of the oil from theinterior of the casing I0, which thus by-passes the cleansing andtreating means. Under the desired constant internal pressure the oildelivered into and filling the interior of the device is caused to fillthe space 4I intermediate the walls of the casing l0 and the cleansingand treating means, and in contact with said walls so as to exchangeheat. If the oil is at a temperature below degrees F., the temperatureof the casing walls being heated to say about degrees `F. by thethermostatlcally controlled circulation heating fluid through the jacketchamber I2, heat will be transferred to the oil within the device toraise its temperature labove the desired minimum of 140 degrees F.

If, on the other hand, the oil is at a temperature in excess of 1'70degrees F., heat will be transferred from the oil within the device tolower its temperature below the desired maximum of degrees F.

The oil lling the interior of the device, and under the controlledpressure, passes inwardly through the lopenings 41 in the bottoms vofthe cleansing and treating units and into contact lwith the capillarybodies or wickings 46. Said capillary bodies or wickings 46, by theircapillary action quickly carry up the oil along the interior aides ofthe said units so as to pass the same into the filtering material 48through which the oil percolates. As the oil thus percolates through thenltering material, any impurities, sludge, gums,- contaminating carbon,road dust, etc., is separated therefrom. At the same time, due to thepresence of the solvent agent with which the imprrgnating material isimpregnated, the accumulacing gums and like elements tend to bedissolved .-.nd returned to the oil content so as to revivify the same,leaving only the insolubles separated and held in restraint by thefiltering material.

AThe oil as it leaves the device through the oil outlet 34 thereofreturns to the'crankcase at an efiicient temperature and well cleansedof irnn purities, so that the entire content of lubricating oil withwhich the engine is supplied is kept for .a maximum length of time ineilicient serviceable condition.

Since the mass of filtering material is provided, Il

atdilerent points within its mass, with the more or less openinterstitial bodies 49,- a by-pass path to diiferent areas of thefiltering material is assured, so that as said filtering materialbecomes choked with separated impurities and insolvents easy passage'maybe provided for the incoming oil past the heavier deposit to cleanerareas of the filtering material, until the accumulations within thelatter collect. to such an extent that replacement of the cleaning andtreating units is advisable.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the abovedescribed constructions, and many apparently widely differentembodiments of this invention may be made without departing from thescope thereof asdened by the following claims. It is therefore intendedthat all matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim: A

1. A device of the kind described comprising, a casing, means to apply aheat exchange fluid in contact with said casing, means for admitting oilto be treated into one end of said casing, means -to discharge said oilat the other end of said casing, means to maintain the oil within saidcasing at a substantially constant pressure comprising an excesspressure relief valve cooperative with the oil admission means and aninternal pressure relief valve cooperative with the oil discharge means,and an oil cleansing means including a.v container within said casingspaced from the side walls thereof to provide a comparatively narrow'intermediate olreceiving space to dispose incom-n ing oil in contactwith the heated casing walls, said space being Adirectly communicativewith said internal pressure relief valve, a capillary means lining theside walls of said container, said con-l tainer having oil admissionmeans communicating With the lower end portion of saida capillary means,a mass of filtering material lling said container and disposedcontiguous to said capillary lining means, and said container having atits centralV top portions an oil outlet means connected in communicationwith the oil discharge means of said casing.

2. A device of the kind described as defined in claim 1, wherein saidfiltering material of the oil cleansing means is impregnated with asolventl adapted to dissolve accumulating gums, tars and the likecarried in the oil under treatment.

3. A device of the kind described comprising, a casing, means to apply aheat exchange fluid in contact with said casing, means for admitting oilto be treated into one end of said casing, means to discharge said oilat the other end of said casing, means to maintain the oil within saidcasing at a substantially constant pressure comprising an excesspressure relief valve cooperative with the oil admission means and aninternal pressure relief valve cooperative with the oil discharge means,and an oil cleansing means including a container within said casingspaced from the side Walls means, a mass of filtering material llingsaid container and disposed contiguous to and in- -wardly of saidcapillary means, a plurality of lter material separator devicesrespectively embedded at different points within the mass of saidfiltering material to provide relatively unobstructed by-passes from oneportion to another of said mass, and said container having at itscentral top portion an oil outlet means connected in communication withthe oil discharge means of said casing. y

4. A device of the kind described as dened in claim 3, wherein saidfiltering material of the oil cleansing means is impregnated with asolvent adapted to dissolve accumulating gums, tars and the like carriedin the oil under treatment.

JOHN G. MACCORMACK.

